KUALA LUMPUR: Tourist arrivals from China to Malaysia rose to 3,725,894 in 2024, with an impressive increase of 130.9 per cent year-on-year, according to Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture.

This boost, driven by the continuation of the visa-free policy for Chinese nationals until December 2026 and enhanced air connectivity, is anticipated to expedite the growth, the ministry said in a statement late on Sunday.

Building on this lucrative growth, China Eastern Airlines launched its inaugural flight connecting Xi’an, the capital city of Northwest China’s Shaanxi province, to Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur, via China’s southwest city of Kunming, on Sunday.

“Xi’an serves as a significant urban hub in northwestern China, witnessing rapid population growth, especially among middle-class families with rising disposable income. This demographic is likely to have the resources to travel internationally which makes them one of the prime targets for tourism campaigns,” said the statement.